OCCF: Working Together for Owen County
There are many exciting things happening at the Owen County Community Foundation this spring, and we're grateful for the opportunity to share a few updates with the community.
First, please join us in congratulating our colleague Karah and her husband Winston on the birth of their new baby. Karah is currently on maternity leave and will return to the office this summer. During her leave, Kyle Hannon, who many in the community know from his work as MYPath Director, has stepped into a new role as Director of Community Projects and will be assisting with several of Karah's responsibilities.
One of the Foundation's newest initiatives is the launch of the Owen County Nonprofit Alliance, created to strengthen the many nonprofit organizations that serve our community. We recently sent a needs-assessment survey to every nonprofit serving Owen County and invited them to participate in an in-person meeting on March 4. During this meeting, participants engaged in an asset-mapping exercise designed to help organizations better understand each other's missions, identify areas of collaboration and uncover potential gaps or redundancies in services.
Based on the survey responses and meeting discussions, we have identified several priority areas for future education, training and shared services among local nonprofits. Our next Nonprofit Alliance meeting will take place on April 1 and will focus on financial reporting and budgeting. As an added incentive for collaboration, nonprofits that completed the survey and attended the inaugural meeting received bonus points on their 2026 Community Investment Grant applications.
The Community Foundation is also working with several partners on initiatives that support education and workforce development in Owen County. In collaboration with Uplands Smart Start and Spencer-Owen Community Schools (S-OCS), we are exploring the creation of an early childhood education career pathway for high school students. This concept could include an early care and learning center at the high school to serve the children of S-OCS staff while providing valuable hands-on learning opportunities for students interested in careers in early childhood education.
In addition, the Community Foundation is partnering with the school system and adult education leaders to explore the development of a career and technical education facility that could serve high school students during the day and adult learners in the evening. Early program ideas include training in welding and HVAC, with the potential to expand into additional programs such as CNC machining in the future.
Our staff also remains deeply engaged in volunteer service throughout the community. Connie continues to volunteer at the Tivoli Theatre, the Freedom Community Center and Spencer Pride. Connie and I are also volunteering with the VITA Free Tax Service at the Owen County Public Library, helping local residents prepare and file their taxes at no cost.
The Foundation's Community Investment Grants program continues to support local nonprofits doing important work across Owen County. Round One of the 2026 grant cycle closed on Feb. 28, and grant recipients will be announced at the end of March. A second cycle of Community Investment Grants offering awards from $1,001 to $5,000 will open on April 1. Nonprofits interested in applying can find more information on the Community Foundation's website or by contacting our office.
Finally, we are excited to share that the Foundation will award a record number of scholarships in 2026. Local students will receive their awards during the OCCF Scholarship Award Celebration on April 26. Supporting students as they pursue higher education and career training remains one of the most meaningful ways the Community Foundation invests in the future of Owen County.
As always, we are grateful for the donors, volunteers and partners who make this work possible. Together, we are building a stronger Owen County for today and for generations to come.
